Drugs rival 'lured' to flat before shooting

The trial is being heard at Basildon Crown Court

Two alleged drug dealers lured a rival to a client's flat before attempting to shoot him dead, a court has heard.

Amir Mahamud, 27, of Garfield Road, Enfield, north London, and Hamidreza Nasiri, 30, of Holbrook Close, Enfield, are accused of attempting to kill Aaron Morris in Waltham Abbey, Essex, in November 2024.

A trial at Basildon Crown Court heard that three shots were fired at Mr Morris as he fled the address of an alleged customer, Margit Knap, with one of the bullets hitting him in the leg.

Both men deny attempted murder and possessing a prohibited firearm, whilst Ms Knap, 41, of Howard Close, Waltham Abbey, denies encouraging or assisting the commission of one or more offences.

Opening the prosecution's case, Cyrus Shroff told the jury that on the afternoon of 24 November, Mr Morris drove to the address of Ms Knap after she contacted him.

Within a minute entering the building "he was ambushed by three men" waiting in Ms Knap's flat, who then chased him out of the building, Mr Shroff said.

The jury was told that Mr Morris ran to his car nearby and got in when the men followed him, firing three shots towards him, with one hitting him in the left thigh.

Mr Shroff told the court that two of the men were Mr Mahamud and Mr Nasiri, while a third man remained unidentified.

"It is the Crown's case that Mr Nasiri and Mr Mahamud enlisted Ms Knap to lure Morris to that address to be shot and killed," Mr Shroff said.

The incident happened in Howard Close, Waltham Abbey, in November

The jury heard that Mr Mahamud and Mr Nasiri allegedly worked together as drug dealers in the Waltham Abbey area, with their patch overlapping that of Mr Morris, who had previously pleaded guilty to the supply of heroin and cocaine between 1 Sept and 20 Nov 2024 - which included the date of the shooting.

Ms Knap was identified as having purchased drugs from both parties, with text messages allegedly sent between Mr Mahamud, Mr Nasiri and Ms Knap read out in court.

Mr Shroff read out one text message exchange between Mr Mahamud and another person the day before the shooting, where Mr Mahamud allegedly said that "snitches get stitches", which Mr Shroff said showed him accusing the person of betrayal, and threatening violence towards them.

Loud gunshots

The jury was told that on the day of the shooting, Mr Mahamud travelled to meet Mr Nasiri, before both headed to Waltham Abbey.

Mr Mahamud's phone was switched off at a certain point "in a savvy effort" to avoid it being tracked, Mr Shroff said.

A third unidentified man joined Mr Mahamud and Mr Nasiri at some point, Mr Shroff said, before they arrived at Ms Knap's flat and waited inside.

"Knap was bringing Morris to her flat, knowing she had three men in her flat, knowing two of them were from a different drugs operation to Morris, and knowing that at least two of them were armed," Mr Shroff told the jury.

The jury was played CCTV footage during which three loud gunshots could be heard after Mr Morris left Ms Knap's building.

Mr Shroff said the first shot was fired at Mr Morris' car just after he had got in, and as he started to drive away, two further shots were fired in quick succession.

Mr Morris' car crashed shortly afterwards and he subsequently received medical attention, the court heard.

Mr Mahamud and Mr Nasiri are both charged with attempted murder and the possession of a prohibited firearm, with Mr Mahamud also accused of supplying Class A and Class B drugs.

Ms Knap is charged with one count of encouraging or assisting the commission of one or more offences, believing one or more would be committed.

All three deny the charges against them, and the trial continues.